


First Time For Everything

by mars555



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Sick Character, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:47:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27218155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mars555/pseuds/mars555
Summary: Franky gets sick and it's the first time any of her friends have seen her like this. Of course they'd like to help if she lets them.(fic is set while they are all still in prison together)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	First Time For Everything

“Franky? Franky. Franky! Wake up count’s in 5!” 

Franky slowly opened her eyes to reveal Boomer standing over her. 

“Long night, eh?” Boomer chuckled and nudged Franky’s side. Franky pulled her hands from her sheets, rubbing her eyes hard and feeling the pulsing in her head grow. 

“Franky?” Boomer sat down on the firm mattress and gave her friend a questioning glance. “What’s up? Get outta bed, you gotta be up for count.” Boomer slapped a hand onto Franky’s blanket-covered calf.

“I’m up, I’m up you lug.” Franky slowly sat up and huffed. “Now get out or I’ll sock ya.” She pressed her cold hands to her head once again, feeling the dry heat warming her fingertips. 

“Alright, alright, I’m leavin’” Boomer stuck her hands up and backed out of the cell. 

The fullness in Franky’s head was more apparent now as she stood up from her bed. Her head was absolutely throbbing and her chest was feeling tight. She sniffed softly, realizing she was unable to breathe through her nose.

“Fuck.” She muttered, her voice sounding hoarse. She cleared her throat and stepped outside her cell to wait for the count.

-

“Franky. Franky! Are you even listening to my story? I’m going over the time I got slotted for shutting that newbie into the washer!” Boomer chordled, shoveling another spoonful of bland food into her mouth. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m all ears.” Franky looked up from her uneaten tray to see the rest of the table’s eyes on her. “What?” She snapped, unable to find a better retort in her foggy brain. 

“You feeling okay, love? You’re looking a little crook, Franky.” Liz reached out to place a hand on the girl’s forearm. Franky quickly pulled away and stood up from her seat. 

“Not hungry anymore.” She snatched her tray up and dumped her untouched food in the trash before hurriedly walking out of the cafeteria. She couldn’t help but feel angry at the concern. If it were even possible Franky’s head was pounding even harder. She even felt a twinge of dizziness creeping into the fog. Wiping her running nose on her sweatshirt sleeve, she started her walk back to her cell.

-

Franky muffled a soft sneeze into her sleeve. And then another. Then another. Sniffing hard, she looked up with bleary eyes to see Bea Smith standing at her cell door. 

“The fuck you want?” Franky quickly composed herself and crossed her arms. Bea raised an eyebrow and stepped into the cell, closing the door behind her. 

“I was just wondering if you’d do me a favor.” Bea inquired, making stern eye contact with the other prisoner. Franky scoffed, regretting it because she had to hold in a rough cough.

“Why would I do that, Smith?” Franky smiles cheekily and tilts her head. Bea rolled her eyes and crossed her arms too. 

“I thought we were friends now.” She poked back, clearly annoyed. Franky laughed hoarsely before stepping closer to Bea. 

“We aren’t more than friends?” Franky jested, looking fake shocked. Bea shook her head, turning around and swinging the cell door open.

“Forget it.” She shot back and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Franky didn’t expect her remark to make her fellow inmate leave, but she could only be grateful for that right now. She didn’t want anybody seeing her looking weak. 

Coughing harshly into her wrist, she sat down onto her bed. She was feeling dizzy and cold. She just wanted to sleep, but if she did that somebody would surely say something. She sniffed thickly after the fit was over and sighed. It had been a long time since she fell sick. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had gotten a small cold. Maybe some tea would help her feel better, she thought. 

She got up to peer through her window, making sure nobody was out there to come confront her. Clear. Quietly opening her door she shuffled over to the tea kettle. With shaking hands she started the heat and plopped a tea bag into her mug. Footsteps echoed into the room and she looked behind her to see Liz, Doreen, Bea, and Boomer all chatting and laughing. Fuck.

“Hey Franky! Haven't seen much of you today, eh? You didn’t eat your breakfast and you missed lunch.” Boomer called out to the girl across the room. Franky turned on her feet to face the group of women and cracked a weak smile.

“Sorry Boomer, I had some things to sort out. Wasn’t that hungry today either.” She put a hand out onto the counter behind her to steady her shaking knees. 

“You feeling okay today, dear? You still aren’t looking so hot.” Liz walked towards her, placing a motherly hand on her thin shoulder. Frankly rolled her eyes, but let out a laugh which triggered a small coughing fit that she couldn’t hold in. She quickly whipped her head into her elbow as Liz rubbed her back.  
“I’m fine, Lizzy.” Frankly muttered hoarsely and grabbed her tea, prepared to make a getaway back to her cell. 

“Hey, hey you’re not going anywhere. I can feel how warm you are even through your sweater!” Liz exclaimed, placing her hands on Franky’s shoulders and guiding her to the couch.

“Oh is that what’s been up? Why didn’t you just say, Franky you idiot.” Boomer chuckled and nudged Franky, sitting down beside her. Franky closed her eyes, leaning her head back. She felt too tired to figure out a good response. 

“Aw poor Franky. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her ill!” Doreen tutted and took a seat too. Franky scoffed and kept her eyes closed, trying to stave off a sneeze. 

“Yeah in all my time here Franky has never as much as sniffled.” Boomer declared. “We will take care of you, Franky don’t you worry!” 

“Fuck off, ight? It’s a cold I won’t drop dead.” Franky said with annoyance, but smiled. “Still wanna ask me that favor, Bea?” She scanned the only prisoner not sitting down with the rest of her friends. 

“It can wait.” Bea said shortly and pulled a chair up to the group. “You wouldn't be much use to me sick as a dog anyway.” Bea snarked but without menace. Franky grumbled, about to retort when the need to sneeze snuck up on her again. 

She frantically placed her mug on the table and pitched forward into cupped hands with a triplet of soft sneezes once again, sniffling. 

“Aw bless you, Franks.” Doreen smiled warmly. “You’re quite adorable when you’re sick, eh?” Doreen bantered and handed Franky a tissue. Franky shot her a death glare before wiping her running nose. The sneezing and coughing was only making her head pound worse. 

“Damn she must really not be feeling good if she let you get away with that one.” Liz giggled, placing her hand on Franky’s back once again and rubbing small circles. 

“You all don’t need to sit with me. I know you’ve got better things to do.” Franky gave a small smile, sipping her tea. Boomer looked taken aback.

“Are you kidding me? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see you ill!” Boomer exclaimed and Franky gave her a look.

“It’s also a once in a lifetime opportunity to give you a little love, Franks!” Doreen sang and took the used tissue from Franky to chuck in the garbage. 

“Okay now that’s disgusting touching my used tissue and all.” Franky stammered and cleared her throat, taking another gulp of her tea. 

“Shut up, you bugger you know we love ya.” Boomer gave Franky a big squeeze burying the smaller girl in her chest. Franky struggled to push her friend away and flailed. 

“Boomer. Boomer! One second!” Franky exclaimed breathily before pulling away just in time to bury her face in her hands once again. She sneezed fitfully and a bit harsher, losing count of how many exactly. 

“Oh poor darling.” Liz fussed and kissed the sick girl’s forehead. “Oh dear, well, you’re burning up!” She took Franky’s face in her hands and brushed her hair from her sweat-sticky face. “Do you want me to take you to medical, love?” 

“No!” Franky made a face at the amount of congestion in her voice. This time it was Bea who handed her a tissue. Sympathy shone through the red-haired girl's eyes and Franky reluctantly grabbed the tissue before actually blowing her nose this time. “I don’t need medical. I’m not dying, I just need a few days and I’ll be good as new.” Franky said dryly and rubbed her temples. 

“Whatever you say, love. We are just looking out for you, okay?” Liz said softly, planting another kiss upon Franky’s forehead. Franky closed her eyes, smiling before sitting up to cough raggedly into her elbow. 

“That doesn’t sound any good. Debbie used to get bronchitis a lot as a child and her coughs sounded just like that.” Bea stated, sitting forward in her chair. “Take a deep breath.” Franky looked around in disbelievement.

“Are you kidding, I'm not taking a deep breath. You aren’t diagnosing me with shit!” Franky yelped, exasperated. 

“Just do it, Franky maybe Bea can help.” Boomer suggested. “She probably knows better than any of us, idiots.” 

With a sigh Franky locked eyes with Bea and took in a deep, slightly wheezy breath. Bea nodded and sat back, obviously satisfied. 

“Yeah, just what I thought. You’ve got a lotta shit in your lungs.” Bea confirmed. “You gotta cough all the congestion up.” Franky made a disgusted face and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Well that’s a bit nasty innit?” She jested stalely and pressed her head to the back of the couch once again.  
“It’ll get you better sooner. Promise.” Bea affirmed and got up from her seat. “I gotta go talk to Kaz. I’ll make sure to check in with you later, Franky. Feel better.” Bea patted Franky’s thigh, gave a small smile, and briskly walked out of the block. 

“Oh hun you and Bea finally warming up to each other?” Liz rubbed Franky’s shoulder and laid back with her. 

“Don’t get too excited, Birdsworth.” Franky shot her a sly smile before resting her eyes once again. 

“Bea is a good person, Franks. I know you guys haven’t always gotten along in the past, but I think she is somebody we can trust.” Doreen declared, handing Franky another tissue as she saw the other girl sit up quickly, eyes fluttering. 

Franky pitched forward violently, five congested sounding sneezes wracking her smaller frame. While she usually sneezed very softly, these were wet and rough. She grimaced as her ears rang and her head throbbed. 

“Oh jeez bless ya.” Boomer muttered, an unusual concern coating her voice. “Ya know in all the time I’ve known ya I’ve never heard you sneeze before today.” 

“Making up for all those years now apparently.” Franky muttered hoarsely, pinching the bridge of her nose hard. Liz stood up and held out her hand.

“C’mon. Off to bed you go. I think a bit of rest will do you some good don’t you think?” Liz suggested. Franky couldn’t argue that. Without a word, Franky took the older woman’s hand and let her help her off the couch. Slowly they walked back to Franky’s cell and Liz eased the sick girl onto the bed, wrapping her blanket around her and planting another kiss to her head. 

“I love you guys!” Franky called out weakly.

“We love you!”


End file.
